"All colleges and universities, in Michigan and every other state, should be able to seek to create the most challenging possible academic environment and produce students fully prepared to function in today's society—and a diverse student body is critical to that pursuit.

We are disappointed by the Supreme Court's ruling in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. But we are gratified this ruling did not alter the ability of public institutions in states other than Michigan to consider race and ethnicity in admissions decisions, in accordance with the court's decision last year in Fisher v. The University of Texas at Austin. The court's Fisher ruling reaffirmed the notions that diversity on college campuses offers unique educational benefits to students and is a compelling government interest.

We continue to believe that each public institution in Michigan should decide for itself whether there is a need to consider race or ethnicity in admissions in order to achieve sufficient diversity on campus. But the main argument in the amicus brief ​submitted to the Supreme Court last year by ACE and 48 other organizations was that the court should recognize and stand by its Fisher precedent, and we are pleased that is the outcome of today's ruling."

Other ACE News

The Washington Post reports that college students joined walkouts Wednesday during a national protest over gun violence . . . Inside Higher Ed writes that community colleges would face big cost increases under the House GOP Higher Education Act...

Earning an associate degree prior to transferring to a four-year institution for recent high school graduates neither increased nor decreased their likelihood of completing a bachelor’s degree. But the report suggests prospective transfer students...